Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the validity of the Cariostat test using the mailing method for screening of dental caries. The subjects were two hundred forty-five children who participated in all dental health screenings at one and a half years of age,2 years of age and 3 years of age in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Oral examinations and the Cariostat test were carried out at each screening. The dental plaque sample, which was taken from buccal surfaces with a cotton swab and put into a plastic bag, was mailed to the institution having cultivating equipment, and then was put into the Cariostat medium and incubated at 37°C centigrade for 48 hours. The results shown that this Cariostat method had a statistically high positive correlation with present caries status. It was also found that high-risk group at one and a half years of age and 2 years of age showed a higher caries prevalence and a larger number of caries at 3 years of age compared with the low-risk group. Based on these results, we conclude that the Cariostat test by mailing method possesses adequate predictive value and should be considered as an effective caries activity test.
